MIAMI -- After spending over $1 billion in contracts this offseason, the Dodgers came into the 2024 season with World Series aspirations. On Thursday afternoon, they took the first step towards accomplishing their ultimate goal.
Los Angeles became the fourth team to clinch a spot in the 2024 postseason following a 20-4 rout of Miami in the rubber game at loanDepot park. It marks the 12th consecutive season the Dodgers have reached the postseason, extending the longest streak in franchise history.
Los Angeles still has its eyes set on winning an 11th National League West title in 12 seasons. The Dodgers hold a four-game lead over the Padres with just nine games left in the regular season. The two teams have a three-game series scheduled at Dodger Stadium starting on Tuesday.
"It feels great,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández said. “Obviously, winning was one of my priorities and that's why I came here. Now to be able to come back to the playoffs, it's not that. It's trying to win the division, trying to get a lot of wins and trying to keep the same momentum into the playoffs."
The Dodgers, as has been the case most of the season, were led by a monster offensive game from Shohei Ohtani, who hit three homers and stole two bases to become the first player in Major League history with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
Ohtani, who went 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs in recording the first six-hit game of his career, got the Dodgers on the board in the first inning with a leadoff double and promptly stole third base. He then came around to score on a Will Smith sacrifice fly.
“Take the season out of it -- today was probably the single best offensive game I’ve ever seen,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “What did he have -- six hits, 10 RBIs, three home runs? And don’t forget he had two stolen bases today also -- yeah, why not? That’s insane.”
The two-way superstar was only getting warmed up, however, as Ohtani smashed a two-run homer in the sixth inning and then a three-run opposite-field shot to hit the historic 50-50 mark. He added another three-run dinger in the ninth for his 51st jack.
In his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani has now accomplished his goal of earning a spot in the postseason for the first time in his already illustrious career. He snapped a streak of 865 career games without clinching a postseason berth, which was the longest of any active player in the Majors.
“Obviously, I changed teams this year and my goal has always been to make it to the playoffs,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “It’s something that I’ve really worked hard for and I’m really happy to be able to make it.
“Now my goal is to be able to perform well in playoff situations.”
As a team, Los Angeles had to navigate through a lot of adversity to get to this point. The Dodgers were bit by the injury bug all season long as Mookie Betts missed significant time with a fractured left hand, Muncy missed months with an oblique injury and pitchers Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone and Clayton Kershaw are all currently on the injured list.
Glasnow and Stone, two of their top pitchers, are out for the season. The Dodgers, still with eyes on the NL West, opted for a champagne toast and not a full celebration.
“There’s plenty of work to be done, and just continue to stay hungry,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The goal is to win the last game in October. But you still got to enjoy moments. It’s been a grind of a season, a lot of challenges, and with that, when things happen like this tonight, you got to enjoy it.”
But despite all the significant injuries, the Dodgers have had enough firepower to stay near the top of the National League. Midseason acquisitions of Michael Kopech, Jack Flaherty and Tommy Edman also played big roles in the team’s success.
The Dodgers have a long way to go until they accomplish their goal of winning their first World Series in a full season since 1988. They believe they have the talent to do so. Their journey to get there took a significant step forward on Thursday.